Cartridge chute



Feb. 15, 1955.

c. P. TAYLOR CARTRIDGE CHUTE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed NOV. 13 1951INVHVTOR. CLARENCE P. TAYLOR ATTORNEY Feb.- 15,1955: c. P, TAYLOR I lCARTRIDGE CHUTE 2 Sheets-Sheet '2 F iled Nov. 15; 1951' FIG. 6

INVENTOR. v CLARENCE R TAYLOR ATTORNEY United States Patent 2,792,108CARTRIDGE CHUTE Clarence P. Taylor, Manhattan Beach, Calif., assignor toNorth American Aviation, Inc.

Application November 13, 1951, Serial No. 255,999

8 Claims. (Cl. 193-25) This invention pertains to a chute for emptycartridges ejected from an automatic machine gun.

It is presently the practice to collect empty cartridge cases which havebeen ejected from a machine gun mounted on air planes, tanks, and thelike. 0

Since the container for receiving these cases is usually located in aplace remote from the gun, it is necessary to use a chute for conductingthe cases from the gun to the container. The chute can be constructed ofordinary rigid tubing where straight runs and simple bends areconcerned. However, flexible chuting is necessary where compoundbendsare required, or between an adjustably mounted machine gun and rigidtubing carried by a fixed part of a supporting structure, and the like.

Ordinarily the container for receiving the empty cartridge cases is soplaced that the cases will be fed to it by the force of gravity.However, when chutes are used on airplanes it is possible that the gunmay be fired with the airplane in an inverted position and beingaccelerated by an amount which would require a force to be exerted onthe empty cartridge by an amount which is several times the forceexerted by gravity. In other words, the empty cases may have to be movedupwardly against a force amounting to seven or eight tunes the forge ofgravity and commonly referred to as seven or ei t s.

It is also necessary that the cartridge cases do not jam in the chute,either because of too sharp a bend in the installation thereof or onaccount of the necked-down portion of the cartridge forcing its wayalongside of the base of the preceding cartridge.

It is also necessary that the flexible chuting be sufficiently strong towithstand the forces accompanying the firing of a machine gun and theforcing of empty cartridge cases into a remotely positioned containerunder extreme negative g conditions such as those encountered inacrobatic maneuvers of an airplane.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a flexiblechute which readily obtains compound bends.

It is another-object of this invention to provide a flexible chute whichautomatically limits any bending thereof beyond that which willsatisfactorily pass successive empty cartridges.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide a chute ofconnected sectors of light construction which are easy to manufactureand assemble.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a chute which islight in weight, strong and durable, and readily connectible to rigidchuting.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide a flexible chutingwhich may be readily assembled and disassembled for purposes of repairor for relocating the machine guns.

Other objects of invention will become apparent from the followingdescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in whichFig. l is an elevational view of the machine gun with a section offlexible chuting attached thereto;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view showing the details of applicants chute;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view along the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view along the line 44 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is an isomeric view of the parts of a sector prior to assembly;

Fig. 6 is an elevational view of the outer portion of the sector; and

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the blank from which the truncated conicalsection is formed.

Referring to the drawings there is shown in Fig. 1 an automatic machinegun referred to generally as 1 provided with a breech block mechanism 2adapted to force an empty cartridge case 3 into chute 4 for conductingthe same to a container 5 or to a rigid chute connected to a moreremotely located container.

The chute 4, comprising the subject matter of the present invention, iscomposed generally of a hollow truncated conical member 6 and a bandmember 7. Member 7, comprising generally a strip of material of somewhatheavier gauge than the material of the conical portion 6, is providedwith reinforcing portions 8, tongue portions 9, and eye portions 10.

Prior to attaching band member 7 to conical member 6, portions referredto generally as 11 are displaced laterally, or raised with respect toportions 8 and the remaining portions of the band by stamping or thelike, so as to be spaced from the conical member when the band proper isattached thereto. Tongue portions 9 are bent either outwardly orinwardly so as to be received in eyes 10 of adjoining sectors. Portions11 are provided with circular cutouts 12 to lighten the structure,provide flexibility, and also to provide an opening for inserting a toolto assist in disassembling the chute. To form the individual sectorscomprising applicants chute, the band 7, which is made slightly conicalto conform with portion 6, is attached to the conical portion 6 with theextreme end portions 8 thereof overlapping at the junction of theadjoining edges 14 of member 6 and attached thereto by spot-welding orthe lik The remaining portions 8 are likewisespot-welded to the conicalportion 610 result in a sector composed of member 6 to which member 7 isattasched by spot-welding thereto the reinforcing portions Successivesectors may be attached by placing bent tongues or hooks 9 incorresponding eyes 10, and the lower conical portion of member 6 in theupper conical portion of an adjacent member 6. This results in a nestingof the conical portions with freedom for limited universal movementabout any axis. The ends of members 8 limit the nesting of the conicalportions and also limit the radius of bend of the flexible chute.

The lower meeting edge portion 14 of conical member 6 below theoverlapped portions of member 8 are unattached to provide a chute ofgreater flexibility. The upper sector of the chute preferably isprovided only with eyelets 10 for connecting to the lower sector, thetongue portion 9 being omitted. This upper sector may also be providedwith a pair of connectors 13 for attachment to the machine gun.

When used in combination with rigid tubing the lower conical portion ofthe member 6 may be placed in the rigid tubing without attachmentthereto, thereby providing a greater freedom of movement of the chutingwith respect to the machine gun.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention each sector is providedwith three sets of books and eyes 9 and 10, and three reinforcingportions. The three reinforced portions are made up of four portions 8,two of which are overlapped at the juncture at the edges of member 6above the meeting edges at 14. This arrangement provides a chute ofgreat flexibility and strong durable structure, which is easy tomanufacture and assemble or disassemble.

One of the important features of the invention is that a radius of bendsmaller than a minimum required to pass empty cases, or a live cartridgewhere required, cannot be obtained, regardless of whether the chute isextended or contracted. In other words, if the chute is contracted intoa more closely nested position, it is not possible to obtain a radiuswhich will fail to pass empty cartridges. Likewise, with the chuteextended to a greater extent in some portions thereof than in others andbent in compound curves, there still results, on account of the conicalnesting and the cooperation of portions 8 on successive sectors, alimiting of the bending of the chute so that it is impossible to obtaina bend that will prevent the free passa e of empty cartridge cases.

Al ough the invention has been described and illustrated in detail, itis to be clearly understood that the same is by way of illustration andexample only and is not to be taken by way of limitation, the spirit andscope of this invention being limited only by the terms of the appendedclaims.

I claim:

1. A flexible chute for machine guns or the like comprising a pluralityof sectors, each of which is composed of a hollow truncated conicalportion and a band portion attached thereto at the upper end thereof;said band portion comprising three reinforcing elements secured to saidconical portion, at spaced locations on the periphery of said conicalportion and three hook and eye' means intermediate said reinforcingelements.

2. A flexible chute comprising a plurality of sectors, each of which iscomposed of an inner hollow truncated conical portion and an outer bandportion attached thereto at the upper end thereof; said band portioncomprising three reinforcing elements secured to said conical portion,at spaced locations on the periphery of said conical portion and threeintermediate elements offset with respect to said reinforcing elementsso as to be spaced from said conical portion; said intermediate elementsbeing provided with oppositely extending tongues and recesses.

3. A flexible chute comprising a plurality of sectors, each of which iscomposed of a portion formed of a blank of material in the shape of ahollow truncated cone, and an outer band portion; said band portioncomprising spaced reinforcing elements secured to said conical portionat spaced locations on the periphery of said conical portion andintermediate elements provided with oppositely extending tongues andrecesses, said conical portions nesting with freedom for universal axialadjustment within limits permitted by said reinforcing elements.

4. A flexible chute comprising a plurality of sectors, each of which iscomposed of a portion formed of a blank of material in the shape of ahollow truncated cone with 4 the meeting edges of the blank slightlyspaced apart, and an outer band portion, said band portion comprisingspaced reinforcing elements, two of which overlap at the meeting edgesof said conical portion and secured to said conical portion, andelements intermediate said reinforcing elements and provided withoppositely extending tongues and recesses.

5. A chute as defined in claim 4 in which said intermediate elements areoffset with respect to said reinforcing elements and spaced from saidconical portion when said band is connected to the conical portion.

6. A flexible chute for cartridges comprising a plurality of sectors,each of which is composed of an inner hollow, generallycylindrical-shaped portion and an outer band portion comprising aplurality of spaced reinforcing elements secured to the upper part ofsaid conical portion, and intermediate elements provided with oppositelyextending hook and eye means for connecting successive sectors; said eyemeans being of suflicient size to permit relative movement between saidsectors, and said reinforcing elements being of such a length as tolimit relative movement of said sectors to avoid jamming of cartridgesthrough said chute.

7. A chute as recited in claim 6 in which said inner portions arehollow, truncated,-nested cones.

8. A chute as recited in claim 6 in which the diameter of said chute isless than the combined diameters of the base and nose of a cartridgeadapted to pass therethrough, and the radius of bend is suificientlygreat to pass a live cartridge.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

